The snook

I have known for some time where Coralroot orchid grows but over the years I haven't been able to look for it at the right time of year. I went up to Holy island today in the hope of seeing this plant. I roughly knew where a plant had been found but when you are on your own these dune slacks are enormous and you don't know where to start. After almost giving up after about half an hour I found one, second picture above. These are tiny plants ; only a few centimetres high. The snook is my favourite part of Holy island and I didn't go anywhere else today. It is a great expanse of dune system that holds an amazing amount of flora. There were many orchids in flower such as Northern marsh and Early purple orchids. The place is covered with pirri pirri bur plus at least a dozen species of rush and sedge. Also in flower is Common butterwort growing among the Quaking grass (top). The only bird of note was a Pied flycatcher but when I was looking through the bushes for migrants I came across another Coralroot orchid. This one was more attractive with the flowers fully open (bottom two pics). You could even see the coral like base of the second plant but unable to photo this as it would mean disturbing some of the surrounding vegetation. A very satisfying afternoon.

Druridge dunes

No sign of any rare migrants this evening at Druridge. A Spotted flycatcher being the only non-resident in the bushes at Hadston links. Plenty of plants in flower at the moment. I have posted pictures of Purple milk vetch, Bloody cranesbill, Northern marsh orchid and Thread leaved water crowfoot.

Harwood forest

After working over the weekend it was nice to have a bank holiday off for a change. The weather was lovely and sunny but the north easterly wind made it feel more like early February than late May. I resisted a trip along the coast chiefly to avoid the bank holiday traffic as most of the A1 is single carriageway and the locations I like to visit will still be there on a normal day off. I decided to head 10 miles inland to Harwood forest. It has always been a great haunt of mine. I hope to have many posts from this lovely forest. Today was a family affair so the wildlife took something of a back seat. We enjoyed a nice picnic and the only people we encountered were two ladies on hoseback. Still plenty to see. I only saw one species of butterfly; Orange tip but there were dozens of them enjoying the warmth of the sheltered rides. On the bird front I saw 2 crossbills, 2 Buzzards and a Raven. I also saw a new plant; Sand spurrey, it is a plant of gravelly river banks but in recent years it can be found on forest tracks presumably the seeds spreading by materials brought into the forest to make roads. I have included pictures of a Roe deer which we managed to get close to despite the noise we were making, Cottongrass and Winter's gibbet.

Woodland rambles

Over the past couple of days after work I have spent a bit of time in the woods around Morpeth. In Chapel woods there are numerous Spotted flycatchers and young Treecreepers clinging on to low branches waiting to be fed. I also saw a day flying Tawny owl in here on wednesday. Many woodland flowers out including Wood speedwell, Bugle and Bitter vetchling. I photographed the above Comma in Chapel woods sitting on Butterbur leaves. It doesn't seem that long ago when I 'twitched' my first Comma at Widdrington. They are common in the county now. I have also included another picture of solomons seal this time in the borough woods and growing nearby a Scottish and Northern England speciality Wood cranesbill. The picture of Common twayblade was also taken in Borough woods, this is the only time I have seen this plant away from the dunes at Druridge bay even though it is found in woods and grassy places in most parts of the county. The flowers are not fully open yet. The bottom picture is my better half and Bennyboy at Mitford castle.

Fungi in the meadows

Over the past couple of days I have come across some interesting fungi. The best one is probably chicken of the woods or sulphur polypore, above centre. This is a young specimen as they age they become more clustered and tiered. I found this growing in Athey's dene. The fungi on the bottom picture is I believe Ganoderma applanatum; Artists bracket growing along the Mitford road. The top picture is Sulphur tuft an attractive species growing along the Wanny line at Morpeth common.

Longwitton Dene

The river Hart is one of the most attractive rivers that flow into the Wansbeck. The most accessible spot is Longwitton dene. When I first came here over 25 years ago Redstarts and pied flycatchers were breeding birds here utilising the nest boxes put up to attract them. These birds have moved to the uplands and the only birds I saw were 3 Spotted flycatchers feeding above the river. I also saw Red squirrel but this is a fine place for plants. Herb paris grows here but the most interesting place is an old brick wall which is full of flowers and ferns. I have posted pictures of Green alkanet and Greater celandine but many plants were in flower including Solomons seal

Chapel woods

The woods to the east of Morpeth continue to flank the Wansbeck for over four miles to Sheepwash. The most interesting stretch is between Morpeth and Bothal. These are known as the chapel woods. The river bends sharply eastwards here and the valley sides are very steep. It is a tranquil place. Much of the exposed sandstone has tumbled into the river giving it a rocky bed, it is a good place to see Dippers and Goosanders. This is one of the few places where Lily of the valley grows as a native plant but I couldn't see any today but I did see Solomon's seal which does grow as a native here. I also found a garden escape called Fringecups which is an attractive plant that didn't look out of place beside the river. The other pictures above include Wood sedge and on the way home I came across Dryad's saddle growing on dead logs; time to get your pen knife out ipin as this is apparently tasty fungi!

I was reading an article in British wildlife magazine a couple of years ago that the river Wansbeck is the most important breeding grounds for the White-footed crayfish in the whole of Europe. The crayfish is a relative of the Lobster, they are common here and easy to see.